Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Academy?
The Academy model is an in-school method for enhancing academic learning and connecting youth to careers by providing career education to students in grades 10 through 12. Academies inter-relate academic subjects to specific career areas and providing teachers and students with opportunities to explore specific occupations within a given career. Field trips, guest speakers, practice interviews and part-time employment are some of the services the Philadelphia Academies, Inc. provides.

How are the high schools chosen?
The Academies work with the School District’s Office of Secondary Education to select the schools.

How are Academy students selected?
Students in grades 7 through 9 are informed of the Academies in the fall of each year. Those who are interested apply for admission to the Academy of their choice. Half of the Academy sites have admission criteria for students that include interest in the career focus of the Academy, documented good attendance (75% +), a passing grade in major subject areas, especially those subjects related to the Academy’s theme, and reasonably good comportment. Additionally, some Academies interview all interested ninth grade students before decisions on admission are finalized. One-half to two-thirds of each Academy’s tenth grade students are students from the middle schools located within the geographic boundaries of the local high school.

What are your performance results?
We collect qualitative and quantitative data that suggests the following impacts on the lives of Philadelphia Academies, Inc. students.

In-school measures of success are consistently higher among Academy students as compared to non-Academy students. We have recently obtained access to student performance data for school years 2002-03 and 2003-04 that shows a higher percentage of Academy students passing in major subject areas and demonstrating better school attendance, and fewer Academy students dropping out of school than their peers that are not in an Academy.

Over the years, 85-90% of our graduates have been engaged in work and/or post-secondary education (i.e., productively engaged) 18 months following graduation from high school. Philadelphia Academies, Inc. is able to generate these types of results for an investment of less than $300 per student.

How are the Academies funded?
The Philadelphia Academies, Inc. receives about half of its annual funding from corporate contributions and private foundations and half from public sources. Convention Center Authority supports the Hospitality Administration Academy through a grant to the District designated for these Academies. Additionally, The Philadelphia School District provides funding through a contract for services. The current cost per student is less than $300.

What is the annual budget?
The Academies, Inc.’s annual general operating budget is approx. $1.9 million.

How is the money spent?
The general operating budget supports the central office and program support staff and all student activities such as field trips, awards and premiums given to students as incentives to encourage excellence, ancillary text books, equipment for laboratories, some scholarships for post high school education, etc. Additionally, Academy teachers and Coordinators receive compensation for Academy related activities conducted during or beyond the normal school day.

How are the Academies different from……..?
The Academies are 1) the oldest and the original business/education partnership in the country. We have operated continually since 1969. 2) The majority of the Academies’ support and leadership is from the private sector. 3) The Academies, Inc. are autonomous from the District. 4) The Academies conduct follow-up surveys on the graduates for up to 18 months after graduation.

How many staff do you have?
A staff of 25 serve 30 Academies in 17 high schools. Additionally nearly 300 business volunteers participate.

Can you explain your governance structure?
A Board of Directors that comprises senior executives from businesses, labor and community organizations leads the Philadelphia Academies, Inc. Each career Academy grouping is managed by a Board of Governors comprised of middle to senior management business people from companies related to the career theme of the Academy. The Chairpersons of each Governing Board are ex-officio members of the Board of Directors. There are approx. 200 business volunteers serving as Governors and 40 serving as Directors.

What is your relationship to the School District?
The Philadelphia Academies, Inc. has been named as the primary partner for career education by the Office of Secondary Education of the School District of Philadelphia. Additionally, Paul Vallas, the District’s Chief Executive Officer has said, “The Academies are important to the success of the (District’s) Secondary Education Movement.”

How would my company benefit from supporting the Academies?
Companies benefit through assisting in the development of a qualified labor pool for city and regional employers. Supporting the Academies also may serve to strengthen companies’ relationships with the community. Numerous opportunities for volunteers provide an excellent outlet for company executives who wish to “give something back.” A better-educated population improves the quality of life for everyone in Philadelphia. Businesses that support the Academies do so through an organization that is accountable for expenditures of funds and for results.

What are your short-term and long-term goals?
We seek to broaden our base of financial support through corporations and individuals in order to maintain the current group of Academies. Expansion of existing Academies to new schools and the development of new Academies are dependent upon our ability to create stable and adequate funding.

What do you want from me and/or my company?
Our most pressing need is to develop adequate and stable funding for the work currently being done with the thousands of students enrolled in the Academies. We want to maintain the support of current contributors and we want to expand support to new companies. We also need new volunteers on the Academies’ Boards of Governors, and we need volunteers to serve as guest speakers to Academy classes, participate in our practice employment interviews and businesses that are willing to provide internships and paid, part-time work experiences to our qualified students and graduates.